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ACT No. 68
2017 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 620
BY REPRESENTATIVES HENRY, BARRAS, BROADWATER, FOIL, JACKSON,
JOHNSON, LEGER, AND MAGEE AND SENATORS ALARIO AND LAFLEUR
1 AN ACT
2 To appropriate funds to defray the expenses of the Louisiana Judiciary, including the
3 Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, District Courts, Criminal District Court of Orleans
4 Parish, and other courts; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1.A. The sum of One Hundred Eighty-Seven Million Three Hundred Ninety-
7 Four Thousand Three Hundred Sixty-Nine No/100 ($187,394,369.00) Dollars, or so much
8 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to defray the expenses of the judiciary,
9 including the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, the District Courts, the Criminal District
10 Court of Orleans Parish, and of the other courts.
11 B. The total amount herein appropriated is hereby allocated to provide as follows:
12 03-8170 SUPREME COURT
13 Program Description: The Supreme Court has general supervisory jurisdiction
14 over all lower courts. It may establish procedural and administrative rules not in
15 conflict with law and may assign a sitting or retired judge to any court. The
16 Supreme Court has sole authority to provide by rule for appointments of attorneys
17 as temporary or ad hoc judges. It considers applications for writs to review
18 individual cases, and has criminal and other appellate jurisdiction. The Supreme
19 Court has exclusive original jurisdiction of disciplinary proceedings against
20 lawyers, recommendations of the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana for the
21 discipline of judges, and fact questions affecting its appellate jurisdiction. It has
22 inherent authority to regulate the legal profession and to promulgate and update
23 the Code of Judicial Conduct. The court also provides judicial training through the
24 Judicial College and works to improve the administration of justice.
25 Mission Statement: The mission of the Supreme Court of Louisiana is to protect
26 and promote the rule of law, to ensure public trust, to use public resources
27 efficiently, to ensure the highest professional conduct, integrity, and competence
28 of both the bench and the bar, and to ensure the proper administration and
29 performance of all courts under its authority.
30 Goal: To protect the rule of law.
31 Objective: To provide a reasonable opportunity for litigants to seek review in the
32 Supreme Court of decisions made by lower tribunals.
33 General Performance Information:
34 2014 2015 2016
35 Total Filings 2,716 2,365 2,283
36 Total Appeals Filed 12 6 9
37 Total Writs Filed 2,496 2,172 2,092
38 Total Dispositions Rendered 2,592 2,486 2,142
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1 Goal: To promote the rule of law.
2 Objective: To resolve cases in a timely manner.
3 General Performance Information:
4 2014 2015 2016
5 Percentage of noncriminal case
6 applications acted on within Supreme
7 Court standard of 120 days of filing 91.8% 97.1% 94.1%
8 Percentage of criminal case applications
9 acted on within Supreme Court
10 standard of 120 days of filing 30.7% 36.1% 48.7%
11 Percentage of pro se post conviction
12 applications acted on within Supreme
13 Court standard of 120 days of filing 2.1% 3% 26%
14 Percentage of bar disciplinary filings
15 acted upon within Supreme Court
16 standard of 120 days of filing 95.2% 97% 93.6%
17 Percentage of opinions rendered within
18 Supreme Court standard of 84 days
19 from argument 81.5% 75.8% 66.7%
20 Goal: To ensure the public trust.
21 Objective: To facilitate public access to Supreme Court decisions.
22 General Performance Information:
23 2014 2015 2016
24 Percentage of written opinions available
25 to the public within 5 days of decision 100% 100% 100%
26 Objective: To inform the public of operations and activities.
27 General Performance Information:
28 2014 2015 2016
29 Number of outreach programs 58 100 60
30 Number of media releases on court decisions 64 66 78
31 Number of media releases on other matters 25 17 24
32 Number of recipients of releases on
33 court decisions 1,485 1,632 1,775
34 Number of recipients of releases on other
35 matters 3,633 4,700 6,010
36 Objective: To ensure the highest professional conduct, integrity, and competence
37 of the bench.
38 General Performance Information:
39 2014 2015 2016
40 Average number of hours acquired
41 through continuing legal education
42 per judge 33.59 34.25 30.08
43 Number of complaints filed against
44 judges and justices of the peace 495 529 545
45 Number of complaints against judges
46 and justices of the peace resolved or
47 disposed of in the calendar year 477 601 582
48
49 Objective: To ensure the highest professional conduct, integrity, and competence
50 of the bar.
51 General Performance Information:
52 2014 2015 2016
53 Average number of hours acquired through
54 continuing legal education per lawyer 14.92 15.12 15.08
55 Number of complaints filed against lawyers 3,040 2,950 2,922
56 Number of complaints filed against lawyers
57 resolved or disposed of in calendar year3,140 3,046 2,673
58 Payable out of the State General Fund (Direct):
59 01 Salaries of one (1) Chief Justice and six (6)
60 Associate Justices of the Supreme Court,
61 as provided by R.S. 13:102 $1,125,128
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1 02 Salaries and other expenses of the
2 Supreme Court Proper and salary of
3 the Crier of the Supreme Court $10,654,654
4 03 Expenses of Judicial Administrator's
5 Office and of the Judiciary Commission
6 provided for in Article V, Section
7 25 of the Constitution of Louisiana and
8 under the provisions of R.S. 13:32 et seq.
9 A. Expenses of Judicial Administrator's Office $ 5,278,486
10 Program Description: The Judicial Administrator's Office assists the Supreme Court in the
11 administration of the state court system. It staffs the Judicial Council and the Judiciary Commission
12 of Louisiana. Through the Judicial Council, it performs studies and makes recommendations for the
13 creation of new judgeships and for improving the administration of justice. The Judicial
14 Administrator's Office provides payroll and other fiscal services to the Judiciary, including the
15 administration of a judicial retirement system; support for the Supreme Court and Appellate Court
16 human resource system; technological services to courts; and, manages the Trial Court Case
17 Management Information System. The Judicial Administrator's Office also manages the ad hoc
18 judgeship system, monitors cases under advisement, provides outreach services to state and local
19 courts, staffs the Committee on Judicial Ethics, and performs numerous legal services for the Supreme
20 Court and the Judiciary.
21 B. Expenses of Judiciary Commission $ 2,068,854
22 Program Description: The Judiciary Commission of Louisiana is a constitutional body established
23 under Article V, Section 25 of the Constitution of 1974 to accept, screen, investigate, and prosecute
24 complaints of judicial misconduct. As part of its authority, it may recommend to the Supreme Court
25 the censure, suspension, removal from office, or involuntary retirement of any judge for ethical
26 misconduct.
27 C. Court Reporters; Statistical Reporting Systems $ 420,020
28 D. Dues to National Center for State Courts $ 158,650
29 04 Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board,
30 as per Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XIX $ 3,000
31 05 Compensation and expenses of retired
32 judges assigned under Article V,
33 Section 5(A) of the Constitution of
34 Louisiana, be it more or less estimated at $ 1,416,000
35 06 Law Library of Louisiana for salaries,
36 services, supplies, maintenance, repairs,
37 and equipment $ 2,060,337
38 Program Description: The Law Library of Louisiana serves the legal information needs of the state
39 judiciary, and is open to members of the bar and public.
40 07 Salaries and expenses of transferred
41 judges assigned under Article V,
42 Section 5(A) of the Constitution,
43 be it more or less estimated as $ 146,663
44 08 Retirement pay for services rendered by
45 justices and judges of all courts, as
46 provided by R.S. 11:1358 and
47 R.S. 13:103 $ 1,365,669
48 09 Pensions for widows of justices and
49 judges of all courts, as provided by
50 R.S. 11:1371 and R.S. 11:1381, be it
51 more or less estimated at $1,469,984
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1 10 Judicial College $ 303,725
2 Program Description: The Judicial College was established by order of the Supreme Court in 1976
3 to provide continuing legal education to Louisiana judges.
4 11 State contribution to judicial
5 retirement provided for in Article V,
6 Section 23 of the Constitution and
7 R.S. 11:551 et seq., be it more or
8 less estimated at $19,013,380
9 12 Civil commitment matters as
10 required by R.S. 28:54 $ 204,000
11 13 Paul M. Hebert Law Center for the expenses
12 of storage of appellate court records $ 60,000
13 14 Funding for statewide operations of the
14 Louisiana Protective Order Registry
15 (R.S. 46:2136.2) under the Case
16 Management Information System $ 1,368,548
17 15 Information Technology $ 1,104,532
18 16 Payable out of the State General Fund for the
19 expenses associated with the operation of the
20 Families in Need of Services Program (FINS) $ 2,354,780
21 Program Description: The mission of the FINS Assistance Program is to assist local FINS processes
22 by developing and implementing a needs-based allocation formula; developing, implementing, and
23 mandating the use of a uniform data system for tracking, managing, and reporting FINS informal
24 cases; developing and mandating the use of programmatic standards; developing, implementing, and
25 reporting performance indicators and measures; requiring and monitoring periodic fiscal reports and
26 financial accountability; and, generally supervising and assisting local FINS processes in other ways.
27 17 Drug court maintenance and enhancement $11,745,514
28 Program Description: Drug treatment courts, authorized in 1997 by R.S. 13:5301 through R.S.
29 13:5304, provided integrated substance abuse treatment, sanctions, and incentives with case
30 processing to place low-level, nonviolent drug-involved defendants in community-based, judicially
31 supervised rehabilitation programs. Clients are regularly tested and monitored for compliance with
32 educational, employment, and treatment requirements set by the court.
33 18 Court Appointed Special Advocates $ 2,965,884
34 Program Description: The purpose of the CASA Assistance Program is to promote timely placement
35 of children in need of care in permanent, safe and stable homes, in accordance with the provisions
36 of Children's Code articles 424-426. Services are provided through local CASA programs which
37 recruit, screen, train and supervise community advocates. Upon appointment by the trial judge,
38 qualified advocates serve children by providing independent factual information to the judge,
39 advocating for the best interest of the children, monitoring cases to which they have been assigned,
40 and advising and assisting the judge in the determination of the best interest of the children involved.
41 TOTAL - GENERAL FUND $65,287,808
42 19 Payable out of the State General Fund
43 from Statutory Dedications, Judges'
44 Supplemental Compensation Fund,
45 R. S. 13:10.3, be it more or less
46 estimated at $ 6,223,724
47 Program Description: The Judges' Supplemental Compensation Fund was established by the
48 Legislature in 1985 to fund salary supplements and salary-related expenses to judges and
49 commissioners. The funding source is a non-refundable filing fee assessed on civil filings as provided
50 in R.S. 13:10.3.
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1 20 Payable out of the State General Fund
2 from Statutory Dedications, Trial Court
3 Case Management Information Fund, for
4 the Case Management Information System,
5 Article 887 (F) of the Code of Criminal
6 Procedure, be it more or less estimated at $ 4,017,201
7 Program Description: The Case Management Information System (CMIS) was created by the
8 Supreme Court in 1993 to provide a statewide information system for tracking and managing
9 criminal, civil, juvenile, traffic, and appellate cases as well as protective orders. Data is received
10 from courts statewide, transferred to the CMIS repository, and made available to courts and executive
11 branch agencies. Additional information will also be available from the Department of Public Safety
12 & Corrections. CMIS is funded from a court cost assessed on all criminal and traffic convictions as
13 provided under C.Cr.P.887(F).
14 TOTAL - STATE GENERAL FUND
15 BY STATUTORY DEDICATIONS $10,240,925
16 21Drug court maintenance and enhancement, payable
17 out of the State General Fund through Interagency
18 Transfers from the Department of Children and
19 Family Services $ 5,400,000
20 22 Court Appointed Special Advocates, payable out of
21 the State General Fund through Interagency Transfers
22 from the Department of Children and Family
23 Services $ 3,992,850
24 TOTAL - STATE GENERAL FUND
25 THROUGH INTERAGENCY TRANSF ERS $ 9,392,850
26 TOTAL SUPREME COURT $84,921,583
27 03-8171 COURTS OF APPEAL
28 Program Description: The five courts of appeal, domiciled in Baton Rouge,
29 Shreveport, Lake Charles, New Orleans, and Gretna, have supervisory jurisdiction
30 over all cases arising within their respective circuits, subject to the general
31 supervisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Each court of appeal also has
32 appellate jurisdiction over all civil matters, all matters appealed from family and
33 juvenile courts, and all criminal cases triable by a jury which arise within its
34 circuit, except for those cases appealable directly to the Supreme Court or to the
35 district courts.
36 Mission Statement: The mission of the appellate courts of Louisiana is to provide
37 meaningful access to all who seek review under the Courts' appellate and
38 supervisory jurisdiction granted by the Louisiana Constitution while protecting and
39 promoting the rule of law, preserving the public trust, and using public resources
40 efficiently.
41 Goal: To protect the rule of law.
42 Objective: To provide a reasonable opportunity for multi-judge review of
43 decisions made by lower tribunals.
44 General Performance Information:
45 2014 2015 2016
46 Total appeals filed 2,050 2,053 1,783
47 Total writs filed 4,325 4,048 3,670
48 Total dispositions rendered 5,741 5,019 4,761
49 Goal: To promote the rule of law.
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1 Objective: To resolve cases expeditiously.
2 General Performance Information:
3 2014 2015 2016
4 Average number of days from lodging of the
5 appeal to argument:
6 Time Standard = no more than 175 days.
7 Criminal cases 151 143 162
8 Civil Cases 149 147 155
9 Median number of days for all cases 149 146 158
10 Average number of days from argument to
11 rendering of the opinion:
12 Time Standard = no more than 70 days.
13 Criminal cases 38 43 43
14 Civil cases 44 43 42
15 Median number of days for all cases 43 43 43
16 Goal: To preserve public trust.
17 Objective: To facilitate public access to the decisions of the courts of appeal.
18 General Performance Information:
19 2014 2015 2016
20 Percentage of written opinions available
21 to the public within 5 days of decision 100% 100% 100%
22 Payable out of the State General Fund:
23 01 Salaries of five (5) Chief Judges
24 and forty-eight (48) Judges of
25 the Courts of Appeal, R.S. 13:311 $7,912,546
26 02 Salaries and expenses of operation and
27 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
28 First Circuit $10,469,867
29 03 Salaries and expenses of operation and
30 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
31 Second Circuit $5,868,157
32 04 Salaries and expenses of operation and
33 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
34 Third Circuit $8,930,244
35 05 Salaries and expenses of operation and
36 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
37 Fourth Circuit $8,347,759
38 06 Salaries and expenses of operation and
39 maintenance of the Court of Appeal,
40 Fifth Circuit $6,022,679
41 TOTAL COURTS OF APPEAL $47,551,252
42 03-8172DISTRICT COURTS
43 Program Description: There are forty-one district courts in Louisiana that have
44 general jurisdiction over all matters within their territorial limits, except in those
45 judicial districts (the 1st, the 19th, and the 24th Judicial Districts) where family
46 and juvenile courts have exclusive jurisdiction over certain types of cases and
47 except in Orleans Parish where there are separate courts exercising civil, criminal,
48 and juvenile jurisdictions, respectively. In certain cases, the forty-one general
49 jurisdiction courts have concurrent jurisdiction with justices of the peace and
50 parish courts. The district courts generally have appellate jurisdiction of criminal
51 cases tried by city, parish, municipal, traffic, and mayors' courts, except in certain
52 cases. The district courts also have appellate jurisdiction over justices of the peace
53 in parishes where no parish courts exist. The Civil District Court of Orleans
54 Parish has jurisdiction of all civil cases in that parish. The Criminal District Court
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1 of Orleans Parish has jurisdiction over all criminal cases in the parish. It also has
2 general supervisory jurisdiction over the municipal and traffic courts in Orleans
3 Parish. The Family Court of East Baton Rouge Parish has exclusive jurisdiction
4 of many domestic cases in the parish. The four juvenile courts located in Caddo,
5 East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, and Orleans parishes have exclusive jurisdiction of
6 juvenile cases in their respective parishes.
7 Mission Statement: The mission of the trial courts of Louisiana is to provide
8 access to justice, to meet all responsibilities in a timely and expeditious manner, to
9 provide equality, fairness, and integrity in their proceedings, to maintain judicial
10 independence and accountability, and to reach a fair and just result by adherence
11 to the procedural and substantive law, thereby instilling trust and confidence in the
12 public.
13 Goal: To establish a more open and accessible system of justice.
14 Objective: To encourage responsible parties to make court facilities safe,
15 accessible, and convenient.
16 General Performance Information:
17 2014 2015 2016
18 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
19 judges indicating actions taken in
20 FY 2015-2016 to improve compliance
21 with the Americans with Disabilities Act
22 (ADA) 97.9% 93.8% 81.3%
23 Objective: To encourage all responsible public bodies and public officers to make
24 the costs of access to the trial court's proceedings and records - whether measured
25 in terms of money, time, or the procedures that must be followed - reasonable, fair,
26 and affordable.
27 General Performance Information:
28 2014 2015 2016
29 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
30 judges indicating actions taken in
31 FY 2015-2016 to assist self-represented
32 litigants 97.9% 97.9% 85.4%
33 Goal: To meet all responsibilities to everyone affected by the court and its
34 activities in a timely and expeditious manner.
35 Objective: To encourage timely case management and processing.
36 General Performance Information:
37 2014 2015 2016
38 Number of parishes reporting criminal
39 disposition data to CMIS 64 64 64
40 Percentage of parishes reporting criminal
41 disposition data to CMIS 100% 100% 100%
42 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
43 judges indicating that their courts had
44 taken steps within FY 2015-2016 to
45 reduce delays and improve the timeliness
46 of case processing 91.7% 97.9% 87.5%
47 Objective: To enhance jury service.
48 General Performance Information:
49 2014 2015 2016
50 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
51 judges indicating that their court had
52 taken steps within FY 2015-2016 to make
53 jury service more convenient or effective 93% 100% 90.7%
54 Goal: To provide due process and equal protection of the law to all who have
55 business before the court; and to demonstrate integrity in all procedures and
56 decisions.
57 Objective: To recognize new conditions or emerging events and to adjust court
58 operations as necessary.
59 General Performance Information:
60 2014 2015 2016
61 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
62 judges indicating actions taken in
63 FY 2015-2016 to improve employee
64 training and development 95.8% 87.5% 85.4%
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1 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
2 judges indicating actions taken in
3 FY 2015-2016 to install or implement
4 technologies 95.8% 100% 91.7%
5 Goal: To maintain judicial independence, while observing the principle of comity
6 in its governmental relations and accountability to the public.
7 Objective: To inform the community of the court's structure and function.
8 General Performance Information:
9 2014 2015 2016
10 Percentage of surveyed district court chief
11 judges indicating that their courts regularly
12 provided public education and public
13 outreach services in FY 2015-2016 89.6% 97.9% 87.5%
14 Payable out of the State General Fund:
15 01 Salaries of one hundred ninety-one
16 (191) District Judges as provided
17 by R.S. 13:691 $27,187,586
18 02 Office and travel expenses of District
19 Judges as provided by R.S. 13:698 and
20 R.S. 13:694, respectively $ 1,285,250
21 03 Salaries of fourteen (14) Judges of
22 Civil District Court, Orleans Parish,
23 as provided by R.S. 13:691 $ 1,992,807
24 04 Expenses of Judges of Civil District
25 Court, Parish of Orleans, for salaries
26 of stenographers, clerks, law books,
27 stationery, telephone, and like expenses
28 as provided by R.S. 13:698 $ 80,500
29 05 Salaries of two (2) Court Reporters
30 of the Twentieth Judicial District Court,
31 including retirement contributions, as
32 provided by R.S. 13:966.1 $ 117,697
33 06 Clerk of Civil District Court, Orleans
34 Parish, as provided by R.S. 13:1212(A) $ 10,000
35 07 State share of Group, Workers'
36 Compensation, General Liability,
37 and Property Insurance Premiums
38 as provided by R.S.42:851 $ 7,471,735
39 08 Salaries of two (2) commissioners of
40 the Nineteenth Judicial District and
41 one (1) commissioner of the Fifteenth
42 Judicial District as provided by
43 R.S. 13:712 and R.S. 13:715,
44 respectively $ 569,959
45 09 Office expenses for the Judicial
46 Expense Fund of the Nineteenth Judicial
47 District Court as provided by
48 R.S. 13:711-713 $ 470,893
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1 10 Office expenses for the Judicial
2 Expense Fund of the Fifteenth
3 Judicial District Court as provided
4 by R.S. 13:714-716 $ 304,827
5 11 Law Clerk, Twentieth Judicial District
6 Court as provided by Act 747 of 1977 $ 51,118
7 12 For the expenses of the Judicial Expense
8 Fund, Tenth Judicial District Court as
9 provided by Act 57 of 2006 $ 35,000
10 SUBTOTAL $39,577,372
11 13 Criminal Court - Parish of Orleans
12 Program Description: The Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans has exclusive
13 jurisdiction of the trial and punishment of all crimes, misdemeanors, and offenses committed within
14 the parish of Orleans, if the jurisdiction is not vested by law in some other court. The court, through
15 its magistrate and with assistance from its commissioners, has the power of committing magistrates
16 in all felony charges and the power to hold preliminary examinations, with authority to bail or
17 discharge, or to hold for trial, in all cases before the court. The court has appellate jurisdiction of
18 all cases tried before the Municipal Court of New Orleans and the Traffic Court of New Orleans and
19 has general supervisory jurisdiction over these courts.
20 A. Salaries of thirteen (13) District Judges of
21 Criminal Court, Orleans Parish as provided
22 by R.S. 13:691 $ 1,850,464
23 B. Office expenses of Judges of Criminal Court,
24 Orleans Parish as provided by R.S. 13:698 $ 74,750
25 C. State's share of group insurance for the personnel
26 of Criminal Court as provided by R.S. 42:851 $ 736,127
27 D. Salaries of thirteen (13) minute clerks as provided
28 by R.S. 13:1373.1 $ 288,063
29 E. Salaries of twenty-six (26) court reporters as
30 provided by R.S. 13:1373.1 $ 454,091
31 F. Salaries of four (4) commissioners of Criminal
32 Court, Orleans Parish, including related benefits
33 as provided by R.S. 13:1347 $ 503,908
34 G. Office and travel expenses of commissioners as
35 provided by R.S. 13:1347 $ 10,600
36 H. Salaries of four (4) minute clerks, one for each
37 commissioner as provided by R.S. 13:1347 $ 75,371
38 I. Salaries of four (4) court reporters, one for each
39 commissioner as provided by R.S. 13:1347 $ 57,311
40 J. Salaries of Judicial Administrator, and assistants,
41 including related benefits $ 1,007,453
42 K. Salaries of thirteen (13) law clerks $ 733,824
43 L. Salaries of four (4) secretaries $ 212,661
44 M. Sanity Commissions $ 200,000
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1 N. Board of Jury Commissioners $ 434,248
2 SUBTOTAL $ 6,638,871
3 14 Juvenile and Family Court Judges
4 A. Salaries of fourteen (14) Juvenile Court
5 Judges as provided by R.S. 13:691 $ 1,992,807
6 B. Salaries of four (4) Family Court Judges
7 as provided by R.S. 13:691 $ 569,374
8 C. Office and travel expenses of Juvenile and Family
9 Court Judges as provided by R.S. 13:698
10 and R.S. 13:694, respectively $ 103,500
11 SUBTOTAL $ 2,665,681
12 TOTAL DISTRICT COURTS $48,881,924
13 03-8173 OTHER COURTS - SALARIES AND OFFICE EXPENSES AS
14 REQUIRED BY STATUTE
15 Program Description: The category includes forty-seven city courts, one
16 municipal court (New Orleans), one traffic court (New Orleans), and one parish
17 court (Ascension Parish).
18 Mission Statement: The mission of the city and parish courts of Louisiana is to
19 provide access to justice, to meet all responsibilities in a timely and expeditious
20 manner, to provide equality, fairness and integrity in their proceedings, to maintain
21 judicial independence and accountability, and to reach a fair and just result by
22 adherence to the procedural and substantive law, thereby instilling trust and
23 confidence in the public.
24 Goal: To establish a more open and accessible system of justice.
25 Objective: To encourage all responsible public bodies and public officers to make
26 the costs of access to the court's proceedings and records - whether measured in
27 terms of money, time, or the procedures that must be followed - reasonable, fair,
28 and affordable. General Performance Information:
29 2014 2015 2016
30 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
31 judges indicating actions taken in
32 FY 2015-2016 to assist pro se litigants 100% 96.2% 96.2%
33 Goal: To meet all responsibilities to everyone affected by the court and its
34 activities in a timely and expeditious manner.
35 Objective: To encourage timely case management and processing.
36 General Performance Information:
37 2014 2015 2016
38 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
39 judges indicating that their courts had
40 taken steps within FY 2015-2016 to reduce
41 delays and improve the timeliness of case
42 processing 84.6% 88.5% 92.3%
43 Goal: To maintain judicial independence, while observing the principle of comity
44 in its governmental relations and accountability to the public.
45 Objective: To inform the community of the court's structure and function.
46 General Performance Information:
47 2014 2015 2016
48 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
49 judges indicating that their courts
50 regularly provided public education and
51 public outreach services in FY 2015-
52 2016 92.3% 92.3% 88.5%
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1 Objective: To recognize new conditions or emerging events and to adjust court
2 operations as necessary.
3 General Performance Information:
4 2014 2015 2016
5 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
6 judges indicating actions taken in
7 FY 2015-2016 to improve employee
8 training and development 94.2% 98.1% 96.2%
9 Percentage of surveyed city/parish court chief
10 judges indicating actions taken in
11 FY 2015-2016 to install or implement
12 technologies 92.3% 96.2% 90.4%
13 Payable out of the State General Fund:
14 01 Salaries of sixty (60) City Court
15 Judges as provided by R.S. 13:1875 $ 2,757,560
16 02 Salaries of four (4) Municipal, four (4)
17 Traffic and one (1) Parish Court
18 Judges as provided by R.S. 13:2492,
19 13:2501.1, and 13:2563.5, respectively $ 444,777
20 TOTAL OTHER COURTS REQUIRED BY STATUTE $ 3,202,337
21 03-8174OTHER COURTS - SALARIES AND OFFICE EXPENSES NOT
22 REQUIRED BY STATUTE
23 Payable out of the State General Fund:
24 01 Orleans Parish Juvenile Protective
25 Care Monitoring Program $ 614,938
26 Program Description: The program tracks and maintains child abuse and neglect cases in the
27 Orleans Parish Juvenile Court. It also provides assistance in support of the Families in Need of
28 Services Program.
29 02 Orleans Parish Juvenile Court Reporters $ 88,244
30 03 For the expenses of the Judges'
31 Assistance Program $ 63,238
32 Program Description: The Judges' Assistance Program provides counseling and other assistance
33 to judges with substance abuse problems.
34 TOTAL OTHER COURTS NOT REQUIRED BY STATUTE $ 766,420
35 03-8175NON-JUDICIAL STATE EXP ENSES
36 Payable out of the State General Fund:
37 01 Legal representation of children in child protection cases$ 2,070,853
38 Program Description: As recommended by the Task Force on Legal representation
39 in Child Protection Cases and at the request of the Division of Administration, in
40 order to advance the administration of justice, the Supreme Court administers
41 funding to provide qualified legal representation for children in child protection
42 cases as required to fulfill the state’s statutory responsibility.
43 TOTAL NON-JUDICIAL STATE EXPENSES $ 2,070,853
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1 Section 2. The appropriations, and the allocations of such appropriations, from the
2 State General Fund (Direct) contained in Section 1 of this Act shall be reduced by a total
3 amount of Sixteen Million Two Hundred Twenty Nine Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and
4 No/100 ($16,229,650.00) Dollars, pursuant to a plan adopted by the Judicial Budgetary
5 Control Board or as approved by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
6 Section 3.A. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, or her duly authorized and
7 appointed agent, shall warrant the state treasurer for the allocations herein provided, or
8 for so much thereof as may be necessary. The aforesaid warrant shall be paid out of the
9 state general fund, and the state treasurer shall pay said warrant by preference over all
10 other warrants, except warrants for the salaries of constitutional officers of the state and
11 warrants for expenses of the legislature, which shall be concurrent with the warrant
12 provided by this Act.
13 B. The funds drawn as provided herein shall be deposited in the name of the
14 judiciary in an approved bank that has been selected by the Supreme Court and is located
15 in the state.
16 C. Any funds herein allocated to the judiciary, any portion of the funds previously
17 appropriated to the judiciary, other revenue of the judiciary or its agencies, and interest
18 earnings are hereby appropriated and may be used to defray the expenses of the
19 judiciary; however, all funds remaining unexpended or unencumbered shall be returnable
20 to the state general fund on or before September 1, 2018.
21 D. For Fiscal Year 2017-2018, any surpluses occurring in the appropriations made
22 in this Act may be transferred from one agency or line-item to another during the fiscal
23 year in accordance with the rules of the Judicial Budgetary Control Board, or as
24 approved by the Supreme Court.
25 E. The adjustment to be made in the salaries of judicial employees and the number
26 of authorized positions of the judiciary shall be as decided by the judicial agency
27 affected, subject to the approval of the Judicial Budgetary Control Board or as approved
28 by the Supreme Court.
29 F. The program descriptions, general performance information and indicators,
30 objectives, goals, and mission statements contained in this Act are not part of the law and
31 are not enacted into law by virtue of their inclusion in this Act. The missions, goals, and
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1 objectives contained in the Act are derived from performance standards established by
2 Section 10 of Part G General Administrative Rules of the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
3 G. The inclusion in this Act of staff salaries and benefits for lower court or other
4 judicial branch agency employees shall not be deemed to create or impose any obligation
5 upon the State of Louisiana Judicial Branch, the Supreme Court of Louisiana, the
6 Judicial Budgetary Control Board, or the Supreme Court Judicial Administrator's Office
7 relative to the administration of pay, retirement or other benefits to any such employees.
8 Accordingly, the State of Louisiana Judicial Branch, the Supreme Court of Louisiana,
9 the Judicial Budgetary Control Board, and the Supreme Court Judicial Administrator's
10 Office are not to be considered the "employer" or "employing agency" of lower court or
11 other judicial agency employees whose staff salaries and other benefits are included in
12 this Act.
13 Section 4. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2017; if vetoed by the
14 governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become effective
15 on July 1, 2017, or on the day following such approval by the legislature, whichever is
later.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT
In accordance with R.S. 39:51(D), the following represents a comparative statement
for each Court and program. The operating budget for FY 2016-2017 is compared to
the appropriations for FY 2017-2018 as contained in the original bill.
Operating Budget Appropriation
Request
Courts and Programs FY 2016-2017 FY 2017-2018
Supreme Court
Total Supreme Court$ 63,673,627 $74,680,658
Courts of Appeal
Total Courts of Appeal$ 45,101,587 $47,551,252
District Courts
Total District Courts$ 46,311,638 $48,881,924
Other Courts
Total Other Courts $ 3,132,025 $ 3,202,337
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Other Programs
Total Other Programs $ 634,064 $ 766,420
Non-Judicial State Expenses
Total State Expenses $ 2,070,853 $2,070,853
Total State General Fund
and Interagency Transfer
All Line Items $160,923,794 $ 177,153,444
Total Statutory Dedications$ 10,407,485 $10,240,925
Total Funding $171,331,279 $ 187,394,369
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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